The Princess and her thief
by Anayaah1611
Summary: Legend boasts of tales of fairies and dragons,of evil wizards and wise mages,of monsters and valient knights. But one story,that even though rarely mentioned, goes down in history as one of the most beautiful,laced with hurdles and patience. A beautiful love story shining among all the others. The story of the Princess and her thief. Kaito/Aoko AU. R&R! (Complete)
1. Chapter 1

Hello everyone! I hope you're having an amazing day. So first things first, this doc is a three chapter Fic that I wrote randomly so im sorry if it's a little weird. Having said that, I have already completed writing it and all I need to do is edit it and post it. But I'm a little busy with my studies so it might take a few days to update , a week at most to complete this story. Thank you so much for reading this story! Don't forget to review! Now then, let's begin!

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Legend boasts of tales of fairies and dragons,of evil wizards and wise mages,of monsters and valient knights. But one story,that even though rarely mentioned, goes down in history as one of the most beautiful,laced with hurdles and patience. A beautiful love story shining among all others.

 **The story of the princess and her thief.**

* * *

The first time he met her was when he was 6 years of age. It wasn't really the ideal condition.

He was,in all respects a disciple of his father,who was a magician,a performer that entertained anyone that liked to watch. They had been travelling for a long time and reached a kingdom,where they decided to take shelter for the time being. Most of the villagers loved and respected the two,father and son,and so,they had a respectable place to live in,while also earning enough to keep their bellies full.

But what most people did not know though,was that by nightfall, they turned into a pair of thieves,unimaginably smart and capable. And tonight, after a lot of planning,the father and son were about to break into the kingdom's castle.

The boy had seen the castle from afar,gaping at the size and imagining the people in it. He had heard stories of beautiful princesses that ordered maids to do their bidding and being rather poor,he felt as though the princesses in stories were terribly spoilt,no matter how beautiful. Or maybe it was out of jealousy? He didn't know. After all,what happiness could a prince or a princess lack when everything was served to them on a silver platter?

But fate had something else in store for the little boy,who was soon to see a side of life he couldn't believe .

* * *

They infiltrated the castle that night,their standard masquerade masks (note: masquerade masks are masks that simple cover your eyes and nose,the rest of your face is still are generally extremely fancy.) and hooded coats in place. But unfortunate events unfolded as someone got air of their intrusion and instantly decided to gather all the guards to catch the pair. Due to a forked path,the father and son got separated in the huge castle, their minds not able to remember the path they came by.

So,the boy wasn't surprised,when he stumbled into a dark room,his eyes darting in all directions to check for possible ways out. But before he could locate one,he noticed a pair of eyes in the corner of the room,staring at him."Who are you?" Came a little feminine voice,so soft that he could barely hear it. She sounded so sad,it was almost painful for him to hear.

She was hidden in the shadows,so he could not see her,but something about her made him awfully unhappy. Before he could answer however,the door opened behind him and he was lifted off his feet by a castle guard. He struggled to break free,barely able to breathe. "Put him down this instant! Can't you see you're hurting him?" Said the girl,now coming out of the shadows. The boy stopped struggling for a moment,when he laid his eyes upon her.

Hair that cascaded down her shoulders and eyes bluer that his own,the boy had never seen such beauty. She wore a simple peach night gown that fell past her feet. "I said put him down!" She ordered once more,looking at the guard with determination.

"Be quiet!" A loud voice announced from behind him.

The castle guard immediatly moved aside,letting the man now enter the room. "What is all this ruckus about? Did you try to leave your room again?" He stared angrily at the little girl,who looked at the ground,all her previous determination vanishing. "No,Lord Father." She said,her voice back to what he had heard earlier."Your Highness,forgive me for all the noise at this hour. We found a pair of thieves in the castle. An older man that escaped," he said. The little boy released a sigh of relief.

At least father had managed.

"And this little boy." The King's eyes now fell on him and the boy shivered under the cold gaze. "Moreover,you had the audacity to enter a princesses' room at this hour of the night?" Said the king."Princess?" Whispered the boy,looking at the girl. "But Lord Father,I'm sure he didn't know these were my chambers. This castle is humungous!"

At that moment,when the boy looked up,he noticed the look that passed in between the king and the princess. After that,she simply looked at the ground,her gaze fixed at the floor.

"Take this boy to the dungeons. I will give the verdict for his sins." Said the king,as the guard bowed and prepared to leave. The boy looked one last time at the girl,who looked up at him in the same instant. They're eyes met and a silent conversation passed between the two.

 _'I tried', her eyes had said to_ _him._

 _'Thank you.', he let his say to her._

As the boy was being taken away, he heard,behind the closed door,the King say to his daughter. "You are never to go near that boy again. Do you understand? He is a thief and he came to steal something from this caslte. From your house. He is evil." "Yes, Lord Father." She had said as he was being taken down a winding path,probably 10 ft below the surface.

* * *

He had always hated closed spaces. He was a free bird,flying in the air,never resting in one place for more than a few months. And now he was shut in a tiny 10×10 cage. He sighed as he put his head on the cold hard floor,thinking of the princess he had seen. He had wanted to see her again,something in his heart told him so. She wasn't what he had imagined,she didn't look snobbish in the least. And her eyes. Oh,her eyes! He had seen so much grief in them. What caused her such pain? He rolled over,needing to catch some sleep.

The following day was uneventful. He was taken into the court room and was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment, no mercy for a mere child. He neither said anything,nor did he apologize. He was once again,locked in his cellar and no effort was made to let him out. He sighed thinking about his father. Was he safe? Did he get out unharmed? Even though it was only noon,he found himself drifting off to sleep yet again.

He was woken up hours later, when he felt something poking his side. He turned around,only to see a pair of blue eyes peering at him through the bars of the cell. The same eyes he had seen that day. He was about to scream,when she raised a finger to her lips. "Shhh.." She whispered,pointing at the torch lights outside. The guards were still out there,yet this girl had somehow managed to escape them. He remained quiet as she sighed. "I'm sorry. Lord Father is a little strict,but he isn't a bad person,I swear! " she had said,almost scared that he would burst out in anger. He had simply nodded.

"What are you doing here?" He said,looking away from her. "Weren't you told to stay away from me?" "

"I have also been told to never leave my room. Yet,here I am." She said,her voice a soft whisper. He couldn't understand why she would risk being yelled at just to meet him.

"Why are you wearing a mask?" She asked.

"To hide my face." He answered simply,not making any attempt to start a conversation. They sat in silence,in the darkness,since any attempt to light up the room would catch the attention of the guards.

"Are you a thief?" She asked,curiosity getting the better of her. He scoffed at her question. "I'm an entertainer." He had said. "An entertainer? What kind?" She asked,leaning forward,showing her interest. He looked at her for a second and then looked away. "A magician." He said,proudly raising his head. He expected her to laugh,to mock him like the children he met elsewhere did. But she gasped,raising her hands to her mouth. "Really?!" She squealed,excited beyond imagination. He was surprised at her response,but nonetheless,kept his behavior in check,like his father had always told him to do. Poker face, he had called it.

He didn't reply,just shrugged,cracking one eye open to look at her. He saw her shaking in excitement. "I'm Aoko. What's your name?" She said,stretching her hand forward. He chose to ignore it,intending to send the message that her presence was an annoyance. He faced the other way and said,"Call me Kaitou." "Is that your name?" She asked."No." He had said. She tilted her head to the left and raised her brows in question. He sighed,there really was no escape from her. "It's what you call a phantom thief."

"But you just said you aren't a thief!"

"You ask too many questions."

"You don't give straight answers!"

"Are you stupid?"

"Huh?!"

He sighed,standing up from where he was sitting and headed to the other corner of the room to show his frustration.

"I-I'm sorry." Came her voice,the same sadness taking over. "Actually,I've never had the chance to meet someone my age that doesn't treat me like royalty." Now he felt really guilty."But you're still a kid! How can you be a thief?" She said,thinking deeply. Something suddenly clicked. "Oh,I know! I'll call you 'Kaitou KID'!"she exclaimed. He thought to himself. That didn't sound too bad. In fact it was a really good alias for him,but he didn't comment. After five minutes of sulking,he finally got up and came to sit near where she was.

There was a short moment of silence. _Bliss_ ,he thought,before she interrupted once again."Umm..." She started,fiddling with the hem of her dress."What?" He asked."C-can you tell me what the outside world is like?"

"The outside world?" He raised his eyebrows in question.

"Yes. The world outside the walls of this castle. What does it look like? Are there really giant puddles of water? Or big mountains one after the other? What about people living in small huts? Does it really exist?" She asked,not even stopping to breathe. He turned to look at her completely for the first time,his eyes as wide as the Sun. "You-" he started,stoping only to inhale sharply.

"You've never been outside?"

She looked at her feet, embarrassed and replied,"Father says it's unnecessary."

"And you're okay with that?"

"I don't have a choice."He kept staring at her,unable to take his eyes off this poor child who was a prisoner in her own castle."Are there?" She asked. He couldn't answer,just kept gaping at her,trying to formulate a reply."Y-yes. There are..Oceans and seas and lakes and rivers and streams." He replied,when his brain began functioning again. "Really? Have you played in its waters?" She asked. "I've only ever bathed in our castle's great bath. "

"Yes,I have. A lot,actually. I'm a wanderer. I travel from place to place with my father. I've come here from very far away." He said,now paying attention to the conversation."Do you want me to tell you stories about the world outside these walls?"

"Yes please!"

The boy found a great friend in the girl called Aoko. Somehow when he told her stories,the sad look in her eyes would completely vanish and that made him feel somewhat relieved.

One day,however,unlike other days,she was late. He waited and waited for her,but she was nowhere to be seen. After waiting for a few hours,he turned around,intending to go to sleep. Just as he rolled over,he heard her footsteps. They halted near his cellar and he knew it was her. He felt her tiny fingers poking him and acted as though he was asleep,just to mess with her.

That was until he heard light sobs coming from her direction.

He spun around,his eyes settling on the crying girl before him. "Why are you crying? " he asked,only to hear her sniff. "I'm here to help you escape." She said softly,almost as though she didn't want to be heard by him. "Help me? How?" He asked,intrigued by her. She shook a bunch of keys in front of her face,a weak smile finding it's place. "You stole them?" She signalled a 'no' and smiled at him through her tears. "I borrowed them." He had taught her that. She went to unlock the door when his hand darted out,reaching for hers. He put his hand over hers and pulled it away from the lock.

"I don't need any help. If I wanted to leave,I'd leave this instant. I'm here because I want to be." He said without thinking. She looked surprised. "But how? How can you escape a prison cell without the keys?"

"I told you,didn't I? I'm a magician."

"Then why? Why are you still here?"

The boy was stunned into silence. Why was he still here? Didn't he want to go back? Back to his dad who was probably worried sick? Then what kept him bound to this 10×10 stuffy and dirty prison cell? He didn't need an answer to that.

"Change of environment." He replied,hoping she would accept it without question. She simply wiped her tears away and smiled. "Now go return those keys. I'll leave here in four days. Sharp at dawn." He said. She turned around to leave.

That night,while trying to sleep,the boy saw the crying face of the girl again and again. Would him leaving make her so upset? But he had to leave. He had no business staying in a jail cell.

* * *

By the time the third day rolled in,the little girl was grabbing any opportunity she found to sneak out and meet the boy. He saw her almost every two to three hours and was surprised everytime. She didn't ask him once about his plan to leave,just asked him for stories that he gladly gave her.

Even at night,which was probably the last time she'd see him,she didn't ask him anything. He felt a lump in his throat as she got up to leave. She looked at him for one lingering moment and their eyes met. He saw her give him a weak smile,a tear slipping down her eye. No words of farewell were said. When she turned around to leave,his hand reached out from the bars of the cell to catch her hand,but she didn't realise and ran out of the dungeon. He had never felt so horrible before in his entire life.

* * *

Time to leave,he told himself,using the tricks he'd learnt to escape. _They're dumber than_ _I assumed_ ,he thought while hiding in the shadows,ready to run out. But something made him want to go up to that room. Something wanted him to see her one last time. But would she be awake at this hour? It was only 4 hours past midnight,was it possible she was awake?

He slowly went up the stairs,making sure he didn't make a sound. He walked along the corridor,walking up to the big door and stopped. He inhaled and pushed the door open as softly as he could. He looked into the room,noticing her figure sitting upright on the bed. "Are you leaving?" She asked,the same sadness in her voice. He didn't say anything and she didn't expect a reply. She stood up and walked up to him,tears at the corners of her eyes.

"W-will you ever come back?" She asked.

He looked away. He couldn't bear to look in those eyes."I don't know.. " he had replied. She simply nodded and turned away from him.

"Would," he prepared to ask a question that would probably end up costing him his life.

"Would you be happy if I came back?"

She spun around to face him,her eyes lit up and she nodded furiously. That glow in her eyes,he wanted to see them again. So he prepared to say his next line.

"I can't promise you. I don't even know how many years it might take me,but if it makes you happy,I'll try."

She jumped in joy,unable to contain her happiness. She threw herself at him,hands wound around his neck. He stood there in silence,not making a movement. She released him after a few minutes,smiling ear to ear. "See you again,princess." He whispered in her ear and raising his hand,produced a blue rose,one that she had never seen in her life. She gasped and took it in her hands. Never in her life had she been happier. Just like that,with one last smile,he disappeared.

And here is where it began.

The story of the princess and her thief.

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Hope you liked it! Please R&R. Ciao!


	2. Chapter 2

This is sooner than I thought I'd be able to post. I want to thank you all for your lovely reviews, I'm glad you enjoyed it! I hope I don't disappoint you with this chapter! Don't forget to review . I love y'all ❤.

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"My Lady. There are but a few hours to the masquerade ball. We must begin dressing you up. " Said the attendant for the fourth time in that hour.

18 summers had passed since her birth and the ball was in honour of celebrating that very day. Men and women from all over the world came to greet the princess, who had now grown to become a beauty all the other women envied.

Long raven locks flowed down her lean figure, her delicate waist and small chest amplifying her majestic aura. Gifts were brought from countries far away , but alas, none ever pleased the princess. Her heart longed for a person that she had met in her childhood, whose memories had kept her from running away.

And their promise.

She ran her long fingers over the gown she was to wear to the celebration. Woven from expensive japanese silk by the best weavers in the whole country, designed perfectly to suit her body. Her fingers trailer over the accessories and stopped at her mask. It reminded her of a certain someone that she had once known. It was almost like a fleeting dream and she often tried to forget about it, but her mind and body had betrayed her a long time ago, that very day she had seen him.

So many things had changed in the past few years. Her contact with her father had decreased more and more with his increasing responsibilities. She barely ever saw him and if she ever did, he would come to the inner sanctum of the palace only to discuss construction matters. She had given up on trying to please him, and lived solely for herself.

Tonight, she was to be greeted as an adult woman, tonight men's eyes would turn to look at her with an intent to wed her. And she swore to enjoy herself to the fullest, whether he was going to be there or not.

* * *

The King looked around,visibly pleased with the amount of people gathered for the princess's birthday. He softly tapped the tip of his spoon on the silver wine glass, to get the attention of the four thousand or so people gathered.

"My dear guests," he began, his voice screaming authority. "I welcome you to my kingdom. I am truly honoured to receive so many guests from so many different countries on this day of celebration. As you know, my daughter ,Princess Aoko has turned 18 with the advent of this night. I thank you for your audience on this day of joy. Now then, let's welcome the person of the night!" Saying so, he parted the curtains and everyone burst into applause.

From above the long staircase , with her helpers by her side, came the one and only heiress of the king, the princess of the country, her beauty too overwhelming for words to describe.

She had donned an ink blue gown that fell past her feet, enhancing her natural beauty. A chain of sapphires lined her neck and glass slippers supported her shapely feet. Her naturally long black hair was neatly put into a bun from where a few strands were left hanging to line the beautiful blue and silver mask around her eyes. Her entire attire was a play on her name. Aoko meant blue, just like her eyes.

She walked down with grace, like a swan in water. The entire hall went silent. Everyone was speechless. Oh how elegant she looked!

The king extended his hand, for his daughter to accept as her feet touched the ground of the hall. She must not put her father to shame, being the only thought in her mind at that moment. She slowly looked around to see everyone.

People were dressed beautifully. All of them wore similar masquerade masks , hiding their faces from her. Most of them were acquaintances of her father whom she had seen maybe once before and among them were some princes that came from far to attract her attention, complimenting her beauty. She wasn't the least bit interested in men that drowned her in vain flattery.

With her thanking everyone for their presence, the ball began. The princess was to begin the dance, so with her father, she danced at the centre , with the end of the song, inviting the other guests to form a circle and participate.

Partners continuously kept changing and the anonymity due to the masks only increased the excitement. The princess gracefully danced with the men in the outer circle , being with the women in the inner. As she moved around , she tried to guess the identities of the men she danced with.

 _First prince of Vyerestria_ , she guessed. He had come to ask her hand in marriage once.

 _Fourth prince_ _of Xerenia. H_ e was the son of her father's important ally.

She was impressed with her skills at guessing and the song was soon to end. As the last partners for the night reached each other, she began trying to guess who he was.

He wound one hand round her waist and took her hand in his other, a small but polite smile gracing his full lips. He adorned a similar blue mask and blue orbs peered from underneath them. She recognized him, but from where? He seemed so familiar and all the while, he kept smiling. She took her hand of his shoulder and ran her fingers along the side of his face.

Realization began to dawn on her. _There was no way_ , she thought to herself. Her eyes widened , she ran her fingers along his pink lips and he broke out into a larger smile. She gasped.

" Is it you..?" She asked, still unsure.

He grinned and slightly nodded his head.

"Won't you welcome me home, princess?"

Tears began flowing down her eyes. She couldn't believe it. Was she still dreaming ? There he was grinning at her, dancing with her, holding her so close to himself that she could breathe in his scent. He had returned. The boy she had been in love with for the past 12 years of her life had returned. She had never been happier.

With the song now over, and partners bowing courteously and moving away from each other, she found herself unsure of what to do. Before she could say a word to him however, the hall blacked out. People began to panic. She felt a soft warmth on her hands and when the lanterns were lit, he was gone.

She felt the spot where his lips had touched her hand and smiled to herself.

"Greeting everyone. First of all, might I wish the princess a very happy birthday! " Came a voice from above the staircase. Everyone turned to look. There, on the railing of the first floor, stood a man. He wore a white suit, the likes of which she had never seen. A blue shirt inside with a red cravate ( French for necktie) and a white cape flowing behind him. A tall hat sat on the top of his head and a monocle covered his left eye.

The man may have been a stranger to others, but she recognized that voice. It was him.

"And in honour of this hour of merrymaking, I would like to entertain you all." Saying so, he lifted the hat off his head and bowed graciously. He then flung his hat high up in the air and along with his hat, snow began falling down from above.

Everyone in the audience was surprised. How did he do that? He walked along the railing and pulled a line of small cloths from his pocket. Magically, a string of tens of thousands of cloths tied end to end kept coming out of his shirt pocket. He flung one end to the chandelier and swung down to where Aoko was standing.

Putting his hand in his pocket, he produced a blue flower, the same one he'd given to her all those years ago. She accepted it, a light blush adorning her face. He smiled at her and returned to the upper floor and everyone clapped.

"Now then. Thank you for watching, my audience! I guess I should take my pay and leave. " Saying these words, he produced a beautiful jewel in his palm.

The king exclaimed.

"That is from my royal jewellery collection! That man is a robber!" Everyone was astonished, surprised at his audacity, but all the man in question did was laugh.

"I am no robber, my Lord. I'm a phantom Thief. I have a name," he said, pausing and looking at Aoko. They're eyes met as he said the next words, "I am called Kaitou KID." And saying so , he vanished.

That night Aoko returned to her room, exhausted and hoping to soak into a warm bath. The guards looked for him everywhere, but the thief was nowhere to be found. She pushed the door of her chambers open and there, sitting by her window sill was none other than the thief himself!

She turned around and quickly shut the door behind her. He was playing with the jewel that he had stolen just a few hours ago and had put on a massive show too!

And the nerve of this man, sitting there and admiring his prize with pride!

"Did you like my gift, princess?" He said ,his gaze not moving away from the jewel. "

Why,offcourse I did!" She exclaimed sarcastically. "And now, thanks to the lovely show you've put up, all the kingdom's guards are looking for you! My, my how pleasant this night is!" She said, enraged. She was fuming and she had every right to!

He turned to look at her, his gaze softening. She knew her anger wouldn't last long if he continued to look at her like so.

He got up from his position and walked to where she was standing. She was in two minds. One part of her wanted to go to him and wrap her hands around his neck and the other wanted to run out of the room. So, instead of moving, she remained glued to her spot. She maintained eye contact with him all the while and he lifted her hand and placed the jewel in it.

She looked up at him and he smiled. She let herself fall into his arms, where she had longed to be for many years.

"Why put yourself in harm's way? For what reason would you do so?" She asked, her voice low,almost a whisper. He pulled back to look her in the eyes.

He took a strand of her hair, lifted it to his lips and said,"I'm merely toying with the king, my love. The king because of whom I've had to part from you. Is that not reason enough?" She could no longer use any words against him. She didn't wish to ruin this moment of reunion in the slightest.

After a short while of enjoying his warm embrace, she pushed him away slightly and ran to her cupboard. She began pulling out some clothes and unfolded a large cloth. She wrapped the clothes into the large cloth and took a small pouch with gold coins out.

"These are coins I've been saving in hopes of leaving with you when I meet you. Now, let's leave before the guards find us. I know a secret route. " She said running around the place.

"Princess..." He said softly but she didn't let him talk.

"Oh , maybe we should wait till dawn ,since the guards would still be searching right now. Offcourse, they could never find you here."

"Princess, listen to me.."

"Or we could escape now and run to the forest at the back of the town, that would be a wiser way out. But then again the wolves-"

"AOKO!" He screamed, losing patience.

She stopped moving around, but she dared not look at him. "Listen to me,please." He pleaded.

"No.. I don't want to." She said, tears beginning to flow down. " You're going to ask me to wait again, aren't you? No more!" She screamed. He remained tight lipped.

"How much longer must I wait? I am meeting you after so long, do you not feel the slightest for me? Does seeing me not make you happy? Do you no longer want to be with me?!" She said, pain and frustration of the past 12 years flowing down her eyes in one night.

"Am I just a burden to you? "

At this point, he had had enough. He pulled her to himself ,holding her head in between his two hands and crashing his lips to hers.

Every ounce of desire he had been holding back, flowing out of his body with a single kiss.

Anger for being separated, fear of losing her, the desire to make love to her, she felt everything he wanted to convey. The princess was overwhelmed by his actions and could do nothing but release a small moan.

He pulled back after a few seconds , but she didn't let him stop. She threw herself at him, gripping his head in her hands and kissing him like he had done to her. Why must she be the only one to feel? He didn't waste a second in holding her by her waist and returning her affection.

She didn't want to stop. She didn't want this moment to disappear.

She didn't want him to leave.

He pushed them apart, feeling the need to breathe. They stayed like that, forehead to forehead, breathing heavily for a few minutes , until he softly lifted her face to face his , gripping her chin.

"Listen to me, princess. A lot of things happened after I left the castle all those years ago. My father was murdered two years later and I've been looking for the culprits." She gasped. She had never in a million years thought of his suffering. How evil she had been!

"The position I'm in right now, I cannot take care of you. Taking you out there would be like handing meat to hungry animals. " She remained silent, so he continued. "I promise you, I'll be back soon. Please give me some time. When I'm certain that I'm able to take care of you, I swear I'll be back." He stopped talking.

She cried into his chest. He ran his fingers through her silky hair, trying to soothe his crying sweetheart.

"Will you wait for me?" He asked her.

She wiped her tears and gave him a weak smile.

"I've waited twelve years," she said holding back her sobs.

"Another twelve would be just fine."

He smiled at her, adoring her patience. Time was testing them and she was certain they would triumph.

"Before leaving, can I ask something of you?" She asked, shyly looking up at him.

"And what may it be, my love?" He asked, taking her hand in his.

"The mask. Can you take it off?" She asked. It had often come to her mind that she had never really seen his real face and it made her really curious !

He let out a soft chuckle, nuzzling the area between her neck and her shoulders.

"I suppose I could, but then again, a part of me wishes to leave you longing to uncover this mask that has been the wall between us for all this time. So for now, I'll leave it on. But I promise you, the next time you see me, there won't be even a trace of it. " She nodded and smiled at him.

He kissed her one last time before disappearing into the dark night. She could only pray for his safety.

She lifted open a small box from under her bed and made space for the new rose she had received. And there, among other valuable jewels was the same old rose, that was now withered, to be replaced by a new one , signifying her everlasting love and faith in him.

And so then, the princess prepared her heart to wait just a little more, for the path of love she had chosen wasn't one without trials.

But she was sure, if at the end of this thorny road, he was waiting for her, she would gladly walk a thousand miles without stopping because no matter wherever he'd go, or whatever he'd do, she'd always be right there, waiting for him.

* * *

I just wanted to put this note at the end because a few of you might find the time skip extremely insane. Now, let me explain. This story is set in the 18th century ( 1700s) and at the period of time, being in contact while away was extremely difficult, if not absolutely impossible. In fact, before the invention of the telephone also, it was very difficult to stay in contact. My favorite author 'J R R Tolkein' , author of the 'Lord of the rings' also stayed apart from his lover for many years before finally being able to be together.

So here you have chapter 2! I hope I didn't disappoint you! There is only one chapter left to post which I will do as soon as possible. I hope you liked it. Please R&R. Ciao!


	3. Chapter 3

Ok, this is the final chapter of this story. I request you to PLEASE READ the author's note at the end of the story. Also, I should tell you, the beginning maybe depressing, but please stick to the end! I love you all!

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In her entire life, she had never once thought of the possibility of losing him in this manner. She thought there was no way he wouldn't keep his promise. She never thought such a time would come when he wouldn't be able to anymore.

So when Aoko heard the news that "Kaitou Kid had passed away.",she didn't believe it. How could it be?

He had promised her, hadn't he?

 _It seems he was being chased by the guards and he was unaware of a cliff at the end of the road. He fell right off._ " Said one guard to another.

"Yeah. And under that cliff is pure wilderness. It's completely inhabitable." Replied the other.

It couldn't be. She thought to herself. He wouldn't break his promise.

After waiting a total of 14 years for him, how could he leave her so?

She ran up the stairs to her room. Locking herself in, she wept bitterly. Tears gushing down her face , not stopping for the life of her. She screamed and shouted, banged and shattered. Her entire world was falling apart, everything was in monochrome.

What was life without him? What hope would pull her through the day? Would she never see his smile again?

The maids knocked on the door, pleading her to open it and let them in, but she couldn't hear them. She was drowning in her misery. Why was life toying with her so? Was she meant to be alone all her life, only hoping to be happy?

Why was he taken, stolen, torn away from her time and time again? Must she suffer this way?

She tore down the curtains, shattered her tall mirror, she sat on the floor, her head on the side of her large bed and cried till she fainted. She never left her room and everyday felt the same to her. She didn't wish to live or even move anymore. She just wanted to disappear like a shadow.

Maybe then she could finally be with him.

* * *

It had been a week since then and after days of trying, she had finally opened the door.

She was just a puppet anyway, lifeless, dead even.

Her eyes had lost all their luster and she had lost an incredible amount of weight. All the castle maids, guards and nobles could not believe what had happened to their beautiful princess. She seemed like some other person all together.

"Princess." Came an attendant's voice from outside.

"The king is here to see you."

Aoko lifted her head off the bed and sat up. Straightening her dress and her disheveled hair, she asked the attendant to let him in.

"Aoko , what a pitiful state you are in!" He exclaimed. In all the time she'd been upset, he came to see her after a week.

"Lord in heaven, what has become of the princess?!"

She simply looked at the floor, not attempting to formulate a reply.

"If I had the chance I'd get you married off right away!" Aoko didn't even flinch. She had been expecting it sooner or later.

She didn't even make an attempt to reject him . This surprised the king, who's suggestion had always been turned down.

 _This time, it's serious,_ he thought to himself.

The King looked at his daughter.

She really did look like a mess. Her eyes were red and she had dark circles the size of the moon under them. Her hair was sticking out from all sides and she had done a number on her health.

He touched her cheek and she looked up at him. "Aoko, sweetheart. Would you please eat something for my sake? What would this old man do without his beautiful daughter? Don't do this to yourself darling." He said to her.

He knew he had never been fatherly to her, but that was mostly because she reminded him of her mother, who had died post birth.

He asked for forgiveness from every God for all the tears that his child had shed because of his selfishness,for all the years that he had neglected her.

She looked up at him with tears in her eyes and began bawling into his chest. He held her trembling body, she was exhausted from all the crying, he could tell.

What in heaven's name had caused her to become so miserable? He didn't dare ask.

"This old man has regretted every year of being away from you, all the time he's been a terrible father to you. But I'd like to try if I can. Tell me, will you forgive me?" He asked, looking at her expectantly.

She silently nodded and continued sobbing while holding him tight.

That day, Aoko ate the food that was brought to her. Everyone heaved a sigh of relief. She was beginning to heal.

* * *

A month had passed since the incident and Aoko had gotten better. Offcourse, she still longed to see him and still woke up crying, but she continued eating and took care of herself.

For everyone's sake, she had told herself. For all those who care for me.

"My lady, The Lord King is here to see you."

"Let him in." Aoko said, her voice back horse from crying and much more stern than before.

The King entered , happy to see his daughter getting better. He had been coming to see her everyday and it had helped her greatly .

"What brings you here at this early hour, Father? Have you not business to attend to? " Aoko asked, standing up and moving to her dresser, slipping on the cardigan kept by the maids. It was the eleventh month of the year and snow had begun to fall.

Cold, she thought to herself, but whether she spoke of the weather or her heart, she knew not.

" What business could be of higher priority than my daughter? " Came the King's reply. Aoko smiled. Their relationship had gotten so much better.

"Aoko, I have a proposition. Will you listen to me?" He said.

She turned away from him and looked out of the window and nodded . She knew not what he wished to say, but she had a feeling she wouldn't like it.

He inhaled a large amount of air. This decision was difficult, the King thought to himself.

"I am aware that you've always wanted to explore the world outside these walls I've kept you shut in. Do you still hold that desire?" He asked.

Her dream was coming true!

All these years she had longed to go outside, yet, why was there this nagging feeling telling her that if she went out, everything would remind her of him?

She didn't answer.

The King sighed. " You don't have to answer immediately. But to let you to go out was a difficult decision." The King looked at her tiny back and sighed once more.

"I have prepared a knight who will accompany you. I am sending him in now. I presume you'll have a few things to tell him. Take your time and decide." Saying so, the King turned to leave and Aoko squeezed her eyes shut.

From behind her, she heard the door open and she heard footsteps. How could she think of leaving the castle with anyone other than him?

The door shut behind her. With what she had to say in mind, she began speaking.

" Lord Knight, I apologize to have wasted your time, but I cannot leave these castle walls with anyone. I am well aware of my father's wish to help me, but I am better off not leaving the halls of this castle." She said, holding back the tears that were threatening to fall out.

" A long time ago, I had made a promise to leave with a certain someone and that can no longer happen. Please forgive me, I cannot go with anyone but him. " She hiccuped. Memories of him came flooding back to her; memories that she had promised to keep locked away forever for the sake of her loved ones.

"Could you perhaps make an exception?"Came the voice from behind her, a cheerful ring to it.

Aoko's eyes widened.

That voice.

She knew it.

She spun around, every emotion she had felt for the past few months replaced by pure surprise.

There, standing in front of her was the last person she had expected. He stood in front of her, black unruly hair covering his head, lively oean blue eyes awaiting her reply.

He was wearing a suit with a star badge on his chest, signifying the position of a knight. She extended her hand in his direction, a tear escaping out of her eye.

"Kaitou...KID..?" she asked reaching for his face. The mask was no longer there, replaced by his naturally sharp and beautiful features. She knew it was him.

He caught her hand midway and softly whispered.

"My Lady, haven't you heard already? That phantom thief is no more. " She noticed a playful glint in his eyes.

"I am Kuroba Kaito. Nice to meet you!" Saying so, he produced a blue rose out of nowhere with his hand, like he had done in this same room, 14 years ago.

Aoko took the rose in her hands and stroked the petals, not even attempting to stop her tears from flowing.

All those years of waiting. All these months of torture. And here in front of her was the sweet fruit that her suffering had birthed.

The knight before her put one hand over his heart and bowing gracefully, he extended his other hand out to her.

'I will return when I'm sure I'm able to take care of you' , his words rung in her ears. Was this what he had meant?

" My Princess, will you give me the honor of escorting you out of this castle into the outside world?"

Aoko didn't spare a minute in taking his hand. He pulled her to him and she gladly accepted his warm embrace.

It felt so good to be held by him once again, her private castle.

"You had me worried." She whispered softly, her hands on his chest, his strong arms wrapped tightly round her thin frame.

"Hadn't I always?" He whispered back to her, kissing down her forehead, her jawline ,to her exposed neck and finally placing an urgent kiss on her soft pink lips.

He no longer had a reason to hold back, and she complied.

He had kept his promise, they were together now. What happiness could be greater for her?

The story of the princess and the thief didn't end there, offcourse.

It went on to become the story of the "Princess and her knight.", but well, that's a tale for another day.

And legend has it that after that day, they never parted for more than a few hours.

End.

* * *

There you go ! The story is over! Now please pay attention to this note! I AM THINKING OF WRITING ANOTHER 18TH CENTURY AU with Kaito and Aoko as the lead. I already have my idea in mind, but I'd like to ask you if you want to read it. That story will be longer and contain much more romance. Thank you for reading and liking this story. I love you all!

Now then, this is my gift to all of you who liked this story !

* * *

Extra Chapter: To our future

"Mommy!" Came the voice of a little child, a boy, his slightly long black hair tied at the back with a ribbon. He wore simple commoner clothes and was running to the banks of the river, where his mother sat washing clothes.

" Yes, darling? " Asked the woman, in a very mature voice. "Are you already done playing?"

If you looked at her once, you wouldn't be able to tell who she was, nor would you guess she carried royal blood.

Her long black hair was pulled into a lopsided bun and she wore cotton clothes that she had stitched by herself.

"I have something to ask you, mommy!" The boy said smiling. She put down the clothes she held and smiled at her son.

The mother patted her lap, indicating for him to come and sit. He gladly accepted her request , moving to where his mother was.

"So, what is it you wished to ask me?" She wrapped her arms around her 7 year old child, who held his mother's hand and snuggled into her bosom.

" All my playmates were talking about their parents today and they were discussing how their parents first met." said the boy, in an excited tone, much like hers once was, her husband had always told her.

"Oh? And?" She asked, resting her chin on the top of his head.

"So I wanted to ask," said the boy, unwrapping himself from his mother's arms and turning to face her, an adorable grin on his face.

"How did you and papa meet?"

Aoko smiled and ruffled her son's hair. He looked exactly like his father did when they were children.

 _Without the mask_ , she giggled .

"Well, you see, it's a long story." she said.

"I am all ears, mama!"

She put him down beside her and began to tell him a tale that she had teeasured all her life. With every word, she would relive their story and it would forever be etched in her heart, like the crystal clear memory of the day they met.

"Once upon a time, there was a princess and a thief..."

From above the tree, Kaito smiled , looking at his excited son and his beloved wife. From the look in her eyes, he could tell what she was saying and yet, he wasn't willing to join in the conversation. After all, how many centuries would it take for her to be done ?

He covered his face with hit hat, hiding himself from the sun's rays and stupidly grinning at the amazing life he'd got to live, thanking every power for granting him this blessing.

'Cherish what you love for all your life,Kaito.', his father's words rang in his ears.

He peered from underneath his hat at his smiling wife who was lost in her story and their giggling son who was amazed by it.

"Yes, father." He said in the air, playing with a leaf that fell from the tree.

"I most definitely will."

THE END.

* * *

Thank you for reading! I love you all ! ❤


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